Wednesday Bolts – 4.9.14
Derek Fisher in his blog: “That’s the main difference in Kevin from last year to this year. This year, he’s in a great place in terms of his composure and poise. Last year, he was wound so tight, he was almost playing with a tension and stress level that was always right on the edge of being too much. This year, he’s consciously done things in a way that have brought that tension and stress level down. But it’s not as though he’s removed himself or disconnected. He’s still very impassioned and competing hard. He’s still getting technical fouls. But you can see and feel in his daily routine that everything is designed to keep things on an even keel: don’t get too high, don’t get too low. He knows that if he trusts his daily preparation, things will be fine.”
Berry Tramel making a case to remember Wilt Chamberlain: “And besides, what if Wilt did have a physical advantage? What if he was bigger and stronger and faster than all his foes? How is that somehow unfair? How does that diminish what he did? How is that any different than what LeBron does today? LeBron is bigger, stronger, faster and more skilled than everybody in the 2014 NBA. And Wilt Chamberlain was exactly the same in the 1962 NBA.”
Jack Hamilton of Slate: “Perhaps the most stunning part of Durant’s story is that a player who’s about to win the MVP while scoring at a more prodigious clip than anyone since Kobe Bryant in 2005–06 (the year of the 81-point game) isn’t even the best player in the NBA. Durant has had a better year than LeBron James but absolutely no one worth listening to would argue that Durant is a superior basketball player to LeBron. Durant’s Thunder squared off against James’ Heat in the 2012 Finals and were dispatched handily. If both teams make it back this year—a distinct possibility, particularly if Westbrook stays healthy—the two-time defending champs will likely be favored.”
Does peaking for the playoffs matter?
KD on the streak: “It wasn’t difficult. It was just taking away from the team. I think sometimes it was a little bit more of a distraction to the team…I don’t like all the attention on me when it’s a team game. So I’m glad it’s over.”
Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com: “One NBA executive told me that whichever team (or teams) makes a run after Kevin Durant when he becomes a free agent, “will throw the whole ATM after [Ollie].” That makes sense given the enormous amount of respect KD has for his former teammate in Oklahoma City. I remember Durant telling me a few years back, just after Calhoun persuaded Ollie to join his staff as an assistant, that Ollie would be a star. Durant couldn’t stop gushing about Ollie’s character as a person and his knowledge of the game.”
Doc Rivers: “I’ve said that for three years and even when you defend him well, in most cases, he just missed the shot … He’s unique. I guess if you gave George Gervin 5 more inches, he’d be similar. But I don’t think we’ve ever seen a Durant. He’s Kevin Durant.”
Darnell Mayberry: “Of course, you have to take everything into account. Sacramento simply isn’t very good. Plenty of talent. But the Kings just can’t seem to put it all together. And on this night, they were down three starters. So the Thunder’s defense should have been significantly better than anything we’ve seen over the last few days (weeks?). But with that said, the Thunder still had to perform. And it did. Rather impressively.”
